Men's Basketball

Golden Eagles bounce Ball State in overtime thriller

Dec 12, 2009

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Tech was pushed into
overtime for the second consecutive home game, and this time the
Golden Eagles claimed a thrilling 86-81 victory over Ball State
Saturday afternoon in Eblen Center.

A rematch from last year’s Bracket Buster game at Ball State
which the Cardinals won in the final seconds, this time the game
went to overtime when Ball State’s Jauwan Scaife canned a
3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation to tie things at 72-72.

Kevin Murphy led the Golden Eagles (4-6) with 18 points, one of
four players to hit double digits for coach Mike Sutton’s
squad. Jud Dillard tied his career-high with 15 points on 6-for-8
shooting, while guards Frank Davis and Elijah Muhammad added 13
points and five assists each.

Ball State (3-4) also placed four in double digits, topped by
Jarrod Jones with 18. He notched a double-double with a game-best
10 rebounds. Jauwan Scaife and Randy Davis scored 13 each and Malik
Perry had 10.

The contest was tied nine times, and the lead changed hands five
times.

Ball State held a seven-point lead a couple of times in the first
half, and the Golden Eagles matched that in the second period with
a seven-point lead four times, including 63-56 with 6:37
remaining.

Officials looked at replays at the end of each half. In the first,
they ruled that Murphy’s 3-pointer came just after time had
expired. In the second, they judged that Scaife’s shot had
beaten the buzzer.

Dillard made one of two free throws with 19 seconds to play that
put Tech on top, 72-69. The Cardinals looked to Davis for a
3-pointer but his shot banged off the iron and to Scaife on the
left wing. He stepped backward across the 3-point line and nailed
his shot as the buzzer sounded.

In overtime, after Jones put Ball State up with a dunk and Murphy
tied the game with a jumper, Zach Bailey poured through a long
3-pointer that pushed Tech on top to stay.

A lay-up by Davis made it a six-point Golden Eagle lead, 83-77,
with 40 seconds to play, and he followed with a free throw 15
seconds later to make it a seven-point lead.

Brawley Chisholm scored a basket at the buzzer for the final
five-point margin.

Both teams found the range, hitting better than 50 percent from the
field and from 3-point range, including 60 percent accuracy during
the second half.

Tech was 33-for-62 for 53.2 percent overall, including 6-for-11
from long distance. Ball State went 27-for-53 for 50.9 percent
overall and 4-for-8 from outside the arc.

The Golden Eagles nearly let it get away at the free throw line.
While the Cardinals were hitting 72 percent of their charity tosses
(23-for-32), Tech hit 58.3 percent (14-for-24).

Tech held a 36-30 advantage in rebounds, and the Golden Eagles had
just 15 turnovers during the 45-minute fray. Ball State had just
four steals.

The Golden Eagles spend the next week taking final exams, then
return to the Eblen Center floor on Saturday, Dec. 19, to host
Bryan College at 8 p.m. in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

Season tickets to Golden Eagle Basketball (which would make a
marvelous Christmas gift) are on sale at the Athletics Ticket
Office in Eblen Center or by calling (931) 372-3940. Season and
individual game tickets may also be purchased online at
TTUsports.com.